The pace bowler has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest set to start on 21 November in Perth.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of participating.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and various factors involved, not only the physical problem, but other factors as well," he commented.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a major part. Ideally from the opening match. If not, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand recently after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of back injuries, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the contest.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but admitted it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and mentioned that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the first Test as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the initial matches regardless. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
